Using big data to enhance UK construction

About CSCS

Construction is a major part of the UK’s growth plans. The range of projects is quite diverse – from new homes to nuclear power plants. All of these needs the right people, in the right locations with the right skills. 

CSCS is a not-for-profit organisation co-run by the construction trade unions and major employers. The purpose of CSCS is to drive up the standards of education and safety in the UK. CSCS, and its alliance of 37 similar schemes, issues cards to certified construction workers, which employers then check each time a worker comes onto site.

Scope

As a result of its purpose, CSCS has a large amount of data to inform UK public policy. For example:

• Details of the qualifications across the industry and their change over time
• Details of occupation shortages and the demographic changes in different occupations
• The distribution of skills across the UK are other interesting analysis topics

The Solution

StableLogic have built the reporting services to gather all of this data from 37 different sources, clean the data and normalise it into a single data set. 

CSCS has used this data to inform the Department for Education on future skill levels and education funding in construction. They are also working across government, for new skill levels in areas with major projects planned. 

Results

As well as these public policy benefits, CSCS are also using the data to further their core objectives of driving up standards and safety in UK construction.